Washer-placing apparatus



E. E. WINKLEY.

WASHER PLACNG APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 0m16.191s. nENEwEn DEC. 17,1920.

Patented July 1i, 1922.

In vent or gm STTS PATENT oFFIcE.

ERASTUS E. -`./IN'KLLEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- IVIENTS. TO UNITED SHOE` MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATTERSON, NEW JERSEY A CORPORATION OF NETVv JERSEY.

WASHER--PLACING APPARATUS.

i ,aaaiaa Application iiled December 16, 1916, Serial No. 137,368.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, EnAs'rUs E. 'VINKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Lynn, in the county of Esserir and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in li/Vasher-Placing` Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a i'ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichI it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improvement in blank-handling apparatus, and more particularly to an improvement in washer-placing apparatus especially adapted 'for use in placing the nail-holding wash.- ers in the molds in which rubber heels or like articles of manufacture are molded.

Those. skilled in the art will recognize from the 'following description that certain features of the invention in their broader aspect are not limited to use in a'macliine for placing Awashers in rubber heel molds, but may be employed in apparatus for transferring blanks of other characteristics and for other uses.

The chiel object of the invention is to produce a washer-placing apparatus of such construction that the Operation of depositing the nailholding washers 'on the washersupporting` pins in rubber heel molds may be rapidly,positively and accurately per- Yformed. These washers are embedded inthe molded heels and thereby serve as supports for the nails by which the heels are secured to the shoes. To the accomplishment of this object and such other objects as shall hereinafter appear, the invention consists olf the improved washer-placingapparatus described in the following specii'cation and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accon'ipan'ying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, a plan, a side elevation, and an end elevation of the. washer-placing apparatus; Figi'. a is an enlarged sectional view oi' one oi' the washer-placing unitsshown in the act ol picking' a 'washer from one ot the supply stacks; and Fig. is a similar view, partly in elevation, showing the unit in the act of depositing a washer on one of the washer-supportinzgr pins in a heel mold.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

Renewed December 17, 1920. Serial No. 431,500.

l The washeuplacing apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprises three groups of washer-placing units, each group containing live units which correspond to the five nailsupporting pins in the heel molds. The lgroups may be of any convenient number and the number of units in each group will, of course, depend upon the number of nails used in securing the heel to the shoe. The

washer-placing units, which are generally indicated at 10, are mounted for operation in a )supporting frame consisting ot' an upper trame 11' and a, lower frame 1Q. The lower frame 12 is secured to two elongated sleeves 14 and 15 which are adapted toslide upon vertically disposed guide posts 16 and 17 secured in a base '18, upon which are mounted the heel molds 2() and the stacks 21 oit reserve washers. The upper frame 11 is provided with bosses 22 through which are bored holes to enable the upper frame to slide upon the sleeves 14 and 15 toward and from the lower frame. The'framcs are manipulated by means of handles 24. The guide posts are tour in number, the two guide vposts 16 being disposed in alignment with the reserve stacks 2l and the two guide posts 17 being disposed in alignment lwith the heel molds 20. These guide posts serve to guide the 'frames when the washers are picked from the reserve stacks and to guide them in depositingthe washers on the supporting pins of the heel molds so that the picking and depositing operations may be rapidly and Aaccurately performed. ln the heel molds 20 are arranged)l in the usual manne-r the washer-supporting pins 26. Each pin 2G is provided with a teat 97, and the shoulder 2S 'formed at the junction ot the teat and the lower part of .the pin is at such distance from the bottom of the mold that, when a washer has been properly pla-ced thereon and the heel has been molded, the washer will be embedded in the heel on substantially the median plane parallel with the top and bottom faces of the heel. The stacks 21 of reserve washers are held in position on vertically-disposed pins 29 which correspond in arrangement with the washersupporting pins 26 in the heel mold. It is to be observed that the 2guide posts 1G are in the same relative position with respect to the pins V29 that the guide posts V17' are in with respect to the pins 26. Each washer 30 is provided at its center with a round nail hole slightly larger than the pins 29 and the teats 27. The washers may be fiat or concaved; and herein resides one of the advantages of the present invention, that it is equally well adapted to handle expeditiously either flat or concaved washers.

Each washer-placing unit comprises a washer picking sleeve 32-and a washer ejecting 0r depositing plunger 33. The washer picking sleeves 32 are held in position and guided in their picking operations in holes in the lower frame 12 and in a plate 35, which is held in fixed relation with the lower frame 12 by means of bolts and collars 36. The lower end or head 38 of each washer picking sleeve is counter-sunk at 39, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so that only one washer may be grasped at a time. As shown in said figures of the drawings the diameter of the lower open end of the picker is greater than the diameter of the washer to be transferred, although it will be observed the inward taper of the washer gripping wall is such that at a point above the open end a washer will be firmly held lby frictional engagement with the edge thereof. The tapering washer-engaging walls provide a picker construction which, when the picker is forced down over the stack, leaves all the washers below the uppermost one disengaged and insures the transfer of al single washer at a time from each stack. When the apparatus is neither in the act of picking washers nor in the act of depositing them, springs 41, encircling the reduced shanks 42 of the picking sleeves, serve to keep the collars 43, secured to the upper ends of the Shanks 42, against the top of the lower frame 12, and thereby hold the picking sleeves in normal position. Each washer depositing plunger 33 slides freely in a washer picking sleeve and is secured at its upper end to the under side of the upper frame 11. The lower ends of the plungers 33 are bored at 44 to permit the plungers to pass freely over the pins 29 in the picking operations, and over the teats 27 in the depositing operation. The lower extremities of the plungers may be slightly counter-sunk to correspond to the convexity of the washers. Springs 45, embracing the upper ends of the plungers and interposed between the collars 43 and the upperframe 11, serve to normally maintain the upper frame apart from the lower frame so that at all times, except during the washer depositing operation, the lower ends of the plungers will be well within the lower ends of the picking sleeves so as not to interfere with the picking operation or to prematurely discharge f the washers from the sleeves.

In performing the operation of simultaneously placingr washers on all the washersupporting pins in the Series of heel molds, the washer-placing apparatus is first lowered over the stacks of reserve washers. 'each washer placing unit being guided over its corresponding stack of washers because of the fixed relation between the units and the sleeves 14 and 15, and `because of the corresponding fixed relation between the stacks and the guide posts 16. lVhen the apparatus has been lowered over the supply stacks 21 the weight of the whole apparatus is such as to cause the counter-sunk ends 39 of the picking sleeves to fit tightly overthe top washers. The uppermost washer is thus, by reason of the described construction of the picker device, gripped exteriorly by lateral pressure on its edge when the frame is dropped down over the guide posts 16 and the pickers are permitted to engage with the reserve stacks of washers. The weight of the lower frame is Communicated to the picking sleeves through the springs 41, which are somewhat compressed during the picking operation, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The weight of the upper frame is communicated to the picking sleeves through the springs 45, which are of such strength that they are not compressed by the weight of the upper frame during the picking operation, but hold the upper frame at its normal distance from the lower frame and thereby hold the lower ends of the ejecting plungers away from the top washers, as shown in Fig. 4. In depositing the washers on the supporting pins in the heel molds. the apparatus is guided into depositing position by the guide posts 17. When the washerplacing units have been thus properly positioned over their corresponding washer-supporting pins, the operator grasps the handles 24 firmly, drawing each set of handles toward each other. This action first moves the lower frame up against the collars 43 because at this time the frame 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, except that the apparatus is over the heel molds and not over the reserve stacks. lVhen the lower frame 12 has thus been forced against the collars 43. the continued drawing of the oppositely disposed handles toward each other conipresses the springs 45, thereby permitting the depositing plungers 33 to be forced downwardly in the picking sleeves 32 until they come into contact with the washers held by the sleeves. Further motion of the plungers serves to place the washers over the teats 27 and against the shoulders 28, each washer being seated fiat on its corresponding shoulder. The action of the plungers in depositing the washers on the supportingpins 26 is positive and consequently each washer is accurately positioned, all liability of a washer being obliquely positioned on the pins being eliminated. This is an additional advantageous feature of the present invention. It is thus seen from the foregoing description of the construction and mode of operation of the washeiplacing apparatus of the present invention that washers are rapidly, positively and accurately positioned on the washer-supporting pins, in molds adapted for the manufacture of. rubber heels.

It is to be observed that thestacks of reserve washers are located conveniently near the heel molds, so that it is` merely necessary for the operator to take the washerplacing` apparatus from its normal position over the stacks of reserve washers and guide it into operative position over the heel molds without other effort'than the movement of his arms. It is not necessary of course to the accomplishment. of the object of the invention that the stacks of reserve washers and the heel molds be mounted upon the same ibase. The purposes ofthe. invention will be accomplished so long as the guide posts 16 bear the same relative position tov the pins 29 as the guide posts 17 bear to the pins 26 in the heel molds. The constructiony illustrated in the drawings, however, provides a unitary and compact apparatus which greatly facilitates the operator in the ope'afion of molding` rubber heels and the like.

It will readily be understood by those skilled in the art that the novel mode of engaging and transferring blanks singly hereinbefore described is not limited to the han-.

dling of blanks of disc form, such as the washers specifically described, but that the principle of a lateral, ork edge pressure, may be employed in gripping blanks designed for various, uses and which have different forms consonant with the use for which they are intended.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it beingy understood that the inventiony is not limited to the constructionshownand described., what is claimed. is

1. A wfisher-placing` apparatus, having' in combination, heel molds and washer-supporting' pins fixed therein, guide posts in .fixed relation with said pins, pins for holdingi stacks of reserve washers arranged correspondingly to the arrangement of the washer-supporting pins, guide posts fixed inA the same relation with the reserve stack pins as the formed guide posts bear to the washersupportingY pins, and a member guided in its operation by the guide posts for transferring the washers from the reserve stacks to the washer-supporting pins.

2. A washer-placing apparatus, having in combination, heel molds provided with washer supporting-pins, pins for holding stacks of reserve washers having; the same arrangement as the washer-supporting` pins, washer-placing,` units arranged correspondingly to the two sets of pins for picking a washer from each reserve stack and for depositing the washers on the washer-supportingpins, and means for supporting and operating` the washer-placing units.

3. A washer-placing; apparatus, having` in combination, heel molds provided with wfisher-supporting pins, pins for supporting' stacks of reserve washers havingl 'the same arrangement as the washer-supporting pins, two sets of guide posts, one sot in fixed relation with the washer-supporting' pins and the other set in corresponding` fixed relation with the reserve stack holding` pins, washer-placing units arranged correspondingly to the two sets of pins for picking` the washers from the reserve stacks and transferring them to the washer-snpporting pins, and means guided by the guide posts for supporting and operating the washer-placing units.

4l. A washer-placing,` apparatus, having' in combination, heel molds provided with washer-supporting pins, pins for holding stacks of reserve washers having' the same arrangement as the washer-supporting pins` washer-placing units having sleeves arranged correspondingly to the two sets of pins for picking` the top washers from the reserve stacks, a frame for supporting` the units, guide posts in fixed relation with the reserve stack pins for guiding the frame during` the pickingoperation, said washerplacing units also having plungers for depositing' the washers on the washer-supporting pins, and guide posts fixed in the same relation to. the washer-supporting pins as the formed guide posts bear to the reserve stack pins for guiding the frame during;- the depositing operation.

5. A washer-placing` apparatus, having,` in combination, hee-l molds provided with washer-supporting pins, pins for holding stacks of reserve washers, and a device for transferring washers from the reserve stacks to the pins comprising` means for picking` a washer from each stack simultaneously, and 'means for depositingY the washers so picked simultaneously on the asher-supporting pins viu the heel molds.

6.. A waSher-placingl apparatus. having in combination, heel molds provided with washer-supporting; pins, guide posts in fixed relation with said pins, pins for supportin5 3- stacks of reserve washers, guide posts in the same fixed relation with respect to the reserve stack pins as the first guide posts are in with respect to the washer-suppoi'ting pins, a frame adapted to be guided in its operation by the guide posts, a second frame movable toward and from the first frame, washer-placing units arranged correspondingly to the two sets of pins consisting of. picking; sleeves loosely supported in the first frame, and depositing` plungers rigidly secured t0 the second frame.

I. A device for transferring' stacks of washers from one place to another comprising a series of washer-picking sleeves arranged in a predetermined relation correspondingly to the stacks of washers to be transferred, and designed to simultaneously remove a plurality 0f washers from the stacks, plungers mounted in the sleeves for discharging the Washers therefrom, and means for supporting and operating the sleeves and the plungers.

8. A device for transferring stacks of washers from one place to another comprising a series of Washer-transferring units arranged in a predetermined relation correspondingly to the stacks to be transferred, cach unit consisting of a washer-picking sleeve and a Washer-discharging plunger, a frame for loosely supporting the sleeves, a second frame for rigidly supporting the plungers, and means for normally holding the frames apart.

9. A washer-placing apparatus comprising a sleeve having a counter-sunk tapered end adapted to engage and hold a washer,-a plunger sliding within the sleeve, and means for actuating the plunger t0 eject a washer from the counter-sunk end of the slee-ve.

10. A washer-placing apparatus comprising a pin for holding a stack of reserve Washers, a washer-carrying sleeve having a counter-sunk end adapted to engage the top washer of the stack, and a plunger for ejecting the Washer from the sleeve having a longitudinal bore adapted to receive the pin when the sleeve is positioned upon the stack of washers.

11. A washer-placing apparatus comprising a heel mold having a washer-supporting pin fixed therein, a sleeve adapted to receive and hold a washer in the lower end, a plunger sliding within the sleeve, and means for actuating the plunger to cause the latter to forcibly deposit the washer upon the supporting pin in the heel mold.

12. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from one place to another comprising a blank picker having a blank engaging end constructed, proportioned and arranged to grip exteriorly and transfer the end-most blank only of the stack.

13. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from one place to another comprising a blank picker adapted to be forced down over the upper end of the stack and constructed to grip the uppermost blank only by its edge for transferral to another location.

14. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from one place to another comprising a blank picker open at its blank engaging end, the opposite inner walls of which taper from said open end inwardly, adapted to be placed over the stack and seize the endmost blank by frictional engagement with the edge thereof.

15. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from onc place t0 another comprising a blank picker having a blank engaging portion constructed to exert a lateral gripping pressure on the uppermost blank of the stack through an edge engagement therewith when forced into engagement with said blank through a movement in the direction of the length of the stack.

16. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from one place to another comprising a blank picker having an open lower end adapted to be forced down over the upper end of the stack toa position for gripping the uppermost blank by pressure against opposed edge portions thereof, said blank gripping portion of said device having a wider opening at its lower end than the dimension of the blanks to be gripped but tapering to a dimension capable of gripping opposed edge portions of said uppermost blank, whereby all but the uppermost blank are left free and a single blank at a time is removed by said device from the stack.

17. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from one place to another comprising means constructed and arranged to grip the edge portion of the endmost blank only of a stack of blanks, in combination with additional means for engaging a blank so gripped and ejecting vit from the device.

18. A device for transferring stacks of blanks from one place to another comprising means constructed and arranged to grip the edge portion of the endmost blank only of a stack of blanks, in combination with an ejector carried by said device in a position above the blank, and means for relatively moving the device and ejector to disengage the blank from the device.

19. A device for transferring blanks separately from a stack to a selected point of deposlt comprising means constructed to grip the edge portion of the endmost blank only of the-stack, in combination with a plunger for forcing the blank out of said gripping means, and means for causing said plunger to function when the blank is at said point of deposit.

20. A device for transferring blanks separately from a stack to a selected point of deposit comprising means constructed to grip the edge portion of the endmost blank only of a stack, in combination with a blank ejector arranged centrally within said gripping device adapted to press upon the face of the blank and release it, and

means for causing a relative longitudinal movement between said device and ejector to effect such pressure and disengagement.

21. A device for placing washers upon the washer-supporting pins of a rubber heel mold comprising a stack-pin adapted to hold a stack of supply Washers, and means for transferring the Washers of the stack one at a time to mold-pins.

22. .A device for placing Washers upon the Washer-supporting pins of a rubber heel mold comprising a stack-pin adapted to hold a stack of supply Washers, and means operating to separate an end Washer from the stack and drop it on a 1noldpin.

23. A device for placing Washers upon the Washer-supporting pins of a rubber heel mold comprising a series of stacl -pins arranged in tlie same pattern as that of the mold-pins and adapted each to hold a stack of washers, and means for transferring Washers one from each stack pin to the corresponding mold-pin.

24. A device for placing Washers upon the Washer-supporting pins of a rubber heel mold comprising a series of stack-pins arranged in the same pattern as that of the mold-pins and adapted each to hold a stack of Washers, and means for transferring Washers simultaneously one from each stack pin to the corresponding mold-pin.

25. The method of placing Washers on the Washersupporting pins of a heel mold which consists in providing stacks of Washers on pins arranged in the same pattern as that of the mold-pins, and then transferring end Washers, one from each stack, to the mold-pins.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY. 

